HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Upgrades & MaintenanceCITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA
INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO :
FROM:
Kenneth Robertson
Chief Procurement Officer/Purchasing Director
sbel G
r. Procur`""'en Specialist
DATE :
July 19, 2011
FILE :
SUBJECT: Sole Source for Upgrades and
Maintenance of Westnet First -In Fire
Station Alerting System, Sole
Source# 10-11-033
REFERENCES:
ENCLOSURES:
An investigation was conducted to determine whether Westnet, Inc., a Non -Local vendor, located
at 16581 Burke Lane, Huntington Beach, CA 92647, is the sole source provider for the upgrades
and maintenance to the First -In Fire Station Alerting System from Westnet, Inc., for the
Department of Fire -Rescue.
On July 20, 2000; the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 00-605 authorizing the acquisition
and installation of a First -In Fire Station Alerting System from Westnet, Inc., the sole source
provider, for an initial period of one (1) year, in a total contract amount not to exceed $30,000. This
alarm communication system was installed in only one fire station (Fire Station No. 3) for initial
testing to ensure that it met all necessary requirements and expectations of the Department of
Fire -Rescue prior to installation at the remaining fire stations.
The Westnet First -In Fire Station Alerting System, with its unique Dorm Remote, proved to
minimize emergency response time and enhanced the firefighter's safe response within the fire
station by means of a low level lighting system, which reduced eyestrain and night blindness while
permitting safe passage to the response vehicle. The Westnet system was set by the firefighter to
alert him/her only when the apparatus they were assigned to had an alarm. This alert system
further optimized the response scenario by using audio and visual cues, which decreased reaction
time with a corresponding decreased response time. An additional benefit is that the Westnet
First -In Fire Station Alerting System is linked to the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) System,
which automatically notified the fire stations.
After successful implementation of the Westnet First -In Fire Station .Alerting system, the
Department of Fire -Rescue received on September 23, 2004, City Commission approval, pursuant
to Resolution No. 04-0631, to acquire the First -In Fire Station Alerting System, from Westnet, Inc.,
the sole source provider, to be installed through the remaining fire stations, in the amount of
. $1,065,636.55, with a contingency reserve of $159,830.50, for a total contract amount not to
exceed $1,225,367.15.
Then, pursuant to Resolution No. 09-0586, as amended, adopted December 17, 2009, the City
Commission authorized the Department of Fire -Rescue to retroactively pay from 2008 and
continue to receive until 2011, On -Site Repair and Toll -Free Technical Support from Westnet to
the First -In Fire Station Alerting System. In an effort to avoid an interruption of On -Site Repair and
Toll -Free Technical Support, the Department of Fire -Rescue has negotiated a new five (5) year
Service Agreement. Furthermore, since the full installation of the system back in 2005, software
upgrades to the system are now required as well as the purchase and installation of additional
components for Fire Station No. 1 and No. 3.
Inorder to preserve the extended warranty/maintenance coverage, Westnet, Inc., requires that it
be the only entity to provide, repair and maintain the fire station alerting equipment in the City's fire
stations. Furthermore, Westnet, Inc., is the inventor and manufacturer of First -In Fire Station
Alerting Systems, and also holds numerous patent and registered intellectual property rights for
this product. As a result, Westnet, Inc., is the sole source provider for the continued On -Site
Maintenance and Toll -Free Technical Support of the First -In Fire Station Alerting System currently
installed at all City fire stations. Furthermore, Westnet, Inc., is the sole source provider of software
upgrades and additional components needed for the First -In Fire Station Alerting System at Fire
Station No. 1 and 3.
Accordingly, I am recommending that the requirements for competitive bidding be waived, and
these findings be approved: Westnet, Inc., Non -Local vendor, located at 16581 Burke Lane,
Huntington Beach, CA 92647, is the sole source provider for upgrades and maintenance to the
First -In Fire Station Alerting System from Westnet, Inc., for the Department of Fire -Rescue.
Maintenance to the First -In Fire Station Alerting System will be on a contractual basis for five (5)
years (2012 to 2016), payable in annual installments, with Year One (1) totaling $71,533.35, Year
Two (2) totaling $75,110.02, Year Three (3) totaling $78,865.52, Year Four (4) totaling $82,808.80,
and Year Five (5) totaling $86,949.23, in a total amount for all five (5) years not to exceed
$395,266.92. Upgrades to the software for the entire system and purchase and installation of
additional components for Fire Station No. 1 and Fire Station No. 3, will be a one-time purchase in
an amount not to exceed $300,979.40, with a contingency reserve of $26,000, for a total amount
of $326,979.40. Funds for the maintenance will be allocated from Account Code:
00001.186000.546000.0000.00000. Funds for the upgrades to the software and the purchase and
installation of additional components for Fire Station No. 1 and No. 3, will be allocated from
account code (PTAEO): P:40-B-72806, T:05, A:1105, E: EQUIPMENT, 0: 181000.
APPROVED BY:
Kenneth Roberts
Chief Procurement Officer/Purchasing Director
Jo Martinez,
Cit anager
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